"Ninja Village" actually plays very differently from all of the other Kairosoft games. Sure it's still simulation-based, but what makes this game much more unique than the others is the strategy aspect added to the game. In order to unify Japan, you need an army. A big one. The game allows you to build an army of ninjas, soldiers, and special heroes and go conquer your way around Japan and claim territory from anyone who tries to get in your way. These special heroes play a key role in battle and can come with various special skills that can potentially turn the tide of battle.
This combat system is actually pretty simple. You pay money to recruit new soldiers, archers, gunners, or mounted horses which, are all known as your infantry and then select a region to attack from a map of Japan. Although it may not seem like it, your infantry is the most important during combat. The bigger the army, the better chance you have of not getting overwhelmed by enemy soldiers.
As you progress forward into the game, it starts to become more challenging, which actually caught me off guard for a Kairosoft game. Weapons and more infantry become more and more expensive, which is why it is important you must also focus on managing your village and not just your army. You'll need a village that is capable of producing a lot of high-value goods that can make you a lot of money. The only downside I see with this game is that you'll often at times be waiting to have enough cash to build the next thing that you need whether it is weapons, infantry, or stores. I saw myself doing this way too often.
Overall, I'd have to say I loved "Ninja Village." The input of strategy made this game so much more unique than all of the other Kairosoft games out there. I can't wait to see what else they have in store for the Nintendo Switch.
